Means for opening and closing a window assembly of a vehicle

ABSTRACT

Means for automatically opening and closing a window assembly of a vehicle comprising an X-shaped linkage assembly, a power unit and three rollers rotatably secured to the linkage assembly, the rotation of power unit being transmitted to an internal gear provided at an arm forming the linkage, thereby moving up or down the arm and opening and closing the window assembly.

Uite States atent 1 1 Shirai et al.

MEANS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING A WINDOW ASSEMBLY OF A VEHICLE Inventors:Takeairi Shirai, Nagoya; Masumi Kato, Aichi; Kiyomitsu Oshikawa, Kariya,all of Japan Assignee: Nippondenso Kabushiki Kalsha,

K'ariya-shi, Aichi-ken, Japan Filed: Mar. 25, 1971 Appl. No.: 127,956

Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 3, 1970 Japan ..45/287l7 Apr. 4,1970 Japan ..45/28925 U.S. Cl ..49/349 Int. Cl. ..E05f 11/44, E05f 15/16Field of Search ..49/348-35l, 227;

[ 51 Apr. '3, 1973 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,359,68412/1967 Tinder ..49/349 Primary Examiner-J. Karl Bell Attorney-Cushman,Darby & Cushman [57] ABSTRACT Means for automatically opening andclosing a window assembly of a vehicle comprising an X-shaped linkageassembly, a power unit and three rollers rotatably secured to thelinkage assembly, the rotation of power unit beingtransmitted to aninternal gear provided at an arm forming the linkage, thereby moving upor down the arm and opening and closing the window assembly.

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INVENTOR?) SHI Qr Q IPATENTEUAPRIS ma 3.724 133 SHEET 5 or 5 INVENT OR 3Q v e f- A'ITORNEY3 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention The present invention relates to a means for automaticallyopening and closing a window assembly of a vehicle such as a motor car.

According to the present invention, a means for automatically openingand closing a window assembly is provided, which is characterized inthat a linkage mechanism near to the framework of the door or the bodyof the vehicle is operated by means of a motor having a reducer whichmotor is incorporated into the linkage mechanism. In this means, aninternal gear is used as an output means for the reducer, which internalgear is formed on one of the arms forming the linkage mechanism. Thesearms are arranged so as to describe a predetermined trace when the motoris on.

2. Description of the Prior Art The means for automatically opening andclosing a window assembly has been developed, this kind of the priormeans having a fan-shaped gear member cooperated with a motor, a linkpivoted on the gear member, and an X-shaped linkage mechanism connectedto the link, the window assembly being automatically opened and closedby operating the linkage mechanism using the motor.

The above prior means may be operated as follows. The revolutions of themotor are transmitted to a small diameter gear, and then the fan-shapedgear member is rotated through the gear. The link rotatably secured on apart of the fan-shaped gear member is swingable around a fulcrumthereon, that is, a point connecting the link with the gear member. Theend portion of the link is rotatably connected to a first arm, one endof which is rotatably secured to a support fixed on the door. A secondarm is pivotably connected to the center portion of the first arm by apin so as to make an X-shaped linkage mechanism. Each end portions ofthe first and second arms are provided with rollers, respectively.Sliders are fixed to the framework of the window and another slider isfixed to the inner structure of the door. Said rollers are so positionedas to be slidable within said sliders along the longitudinal directionthereof. Thus, the motion of the link in one direction causes the firstarm to be rotated and at the same time the second arm to be displaced.As a result, each roller slides within the sliders, thereby shifting thewindow assembly upward and downward.

It will be understood from the above description that a power unit and alinkage mechanism of the prior device are separately constructed, andthey are connected to one another through a link, the power unitcomprising the motor with a reducer, the gear having a small diameterand the fan-shaped gear, on the other hand, the linkage mechanismcomprising the first arm and the second arm. Therefore, it has tendencyto occupy too much space in the inner structure of the door forinstallation of the prior device and it is necessary to increase thethickness of the door to more than that of the motor. There aredisadvantages that it is impossible to apply the prior device to avehicle which has a thin or a small door. Further, since parts forconnecting the power unit and the linkage mechanism are necessary, thenumber of the parts of the prior device are large in number, therebyincreasing the cost, compared with the present invention.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to providea means which is assembled so as to overcome the disadvantages of theabove prior art device.

It is an another object of the present invention to provide a means forautomatically opening and closing the window assembly by which the spacefor installation thereof is considerably reduced so as to be capable ofutilizing for a vehicle having a small or a thin door and themanufacturing cost thereof is low.

The means of the present invention is so constructed that an internalgear as an output gear of a reducer which reduces the number of rotationof the motor is integrally formed with arm of which an X-shaped linkagemechanism consists, and by displacing the arm and operating the linkagemechanism the window assembly may be opened and closed. The internalgear may be located either at the end portion or the center portion ofthe arm. The power unit having the motor and the reducer and the linkagemechanism of the present invention are assembled in one body so that thewhole size thereof may be small and the number of members forming themeans of the present invention may be reduced. Therefore, the means ofthe present invention can be attached to the vehicle having a thin or asmalldoor. Further, when the window assembly is opened or closed byoperating the linkage assembly, the power unit can be shifted togetherwith the linkage assembly to describe the same trace as the arm, whenthe motor is located at the center of the arm. Thus, the angle ofrotation of the motor necessary to open or close the window assemblybecomes twice as compared with the prior art device, as a result, thisarrangement derives an excellent advantage in that a motor of small sizeand small output torque may be employed for automatically opening andclosing the window assembly.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following description with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of anembodiment of the present invention showing the position of the windowassembly when risen;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a means according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a motor and arms used in a means accordingto the present invention showing the location thereof;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1showing a descended position of the window assembly;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of another embodiment of the presentinvention showing a position of the window assembly when risen;

FIG. 7 is a side view of a means according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a motor and arms used in a means accordingto the present invention showing the location thereof;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is an elevational view of another embodiment illustrated in FIG.6 showing a descended position of the window assembly and FIG. 11 is agraphical view of operation thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION Referring initially to FIG. 1 and FIG.2, a motor 1 with a reducer is secured to a support 2 fixed on aframework 3 of the door of a vehicle. An internal gear 4 is integrallyformed with an arm 4a of which a linkage mechanism is composed. Theinternal gear serves to transmit the rotation of the motor to the arm.The arm 4a is rotated centering around a point in the direction shown byan arrow C, the point 0 being the center of revolution of the motor 1. Acenter portion of an arm 6 is rotatably connected to the end portion ofthe arm 40 by a hinge pin firmly set on said arm 4a and an end portionof an arm 7 is further firmly connected to the end portion of the arm 40through the hinge pin 5. An X-shaped linkage mechanism is composed ofthese arms 4a, 6, 7. Rollers 8 are rotatably secured to the both ends ofthe arm 6 and one end of the arm 7. The roller 8 on the right side ofthe arm 6, as shown in FIG. 4, is positioned within a slider 9 fixed toan inner structure of the door 3 and is rotatably attached to the arm 6by a rivet 12 by the aid of a coil spring 10 and a washer 11 so as to becapable of sliding within the slider 9 in the direction of an arrow BB.Other rollers are attached to each end portions of the arms in such amanner as to be capable of sliding in the corresponding sliders 13 inthe direction of the arrow BB. Said sliders 13 are firmly fixed to theframework 16 of the window which is installed through a packing at alower portion of a window glass 14.

Referring to FIG. 3, the electrical motor 1 with the reducer isillustrated in FIG. 3. The support 2 is fitted to an outer periphery ofa housing 17. 18 indicates a permanent magnet which provides a magneticfield. 19 indicates a brush holder, a spring 20 and a brush 21 areinserted suitably therein. A lead wire 22 for supplying electrical poweris connected to the brush holder 19. A shaft 23 is provided so as tooccupy a proper space between the housing 17 and a case 26. A printedcircuit board 27 is closely fitted to a rotatable member 28 by the useof a ring 29, which member 28 is rotatably supported to the shaft 23. Agear 30 is integrally formed on the rotatably member 28. A gear 31engaged with said gear 30 is rotatable supported to the shaft 32 fixedto the case 26 and a housing case 17a which is secured to the housing17. A gear 33 of a small diameter is associated with said gear 31. Agear 34 which is engaged with the gear 33 is rotatably supported to theshaft 35 secured to the case 26 and the plate 170. A gear 36 of a smalldiameter integrally formed with said gear 34 is meshed with saidinternal gear 4. A stepped portion 4b of the internal gear 4 isrotatably held at the end portion of the housing 17, and the axialmotion of the internal gear is restricted by a stop ring 37. It will benoted that the means'of the present invention can be compacted to asmall size by situating the internal gear 4 at the outer periphery ofthe housing 17.

The operation of the above means according to the invention will bedescribed hereinafter. When the motor is in the on condition, therotation of the armature 27 will be transmitted to the internal gear 4from the gear 36 after reducing firstly the number of revolutionsbetween the gears 30, 31 and then between the gears 33, 34. By rotationof the internal gear 4, each rollers 8 on the end portions of the arms6, 7 are slid within the sliders 9, 13 outward and the relative anglebetween one arm 4a, 7 of the X-shaped linkage and the other arm 6 isvaried, thereby shifting downward the window assembly. When the line Dconnecting center points 0,, 0 of the rollers 8 in the slider 13 passesover the line E connecting a center 0 of the revolution of the motor 1and a center point 0 of the roller 8 located in the slider 9, eachroller 8 is reversely shifted inward within the sliders 9, 13 so thatthe window glass 14 may be descended to the position as shown in FIG. 5.It will be understood that the window assembly can be moved up from theposition of FIG. 5 to the position of FIG. 1 by reversing the motor 1.

An another embodiment of the present invention will be describedhereinafter. Referring to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, a motor 101 provided with areducer is secured to between arms 102, 103 by a nut 105 through a shaft104, as shown in FIG. 8, an X-shaped linkage mechanism being constructedby the arms 102, 103 and arms 106a, 106b. An internal gear 106 which hasthe function of an output gear for said motor 101 is integrally formedwith the arms 106a, 106b and the axis of the motor is coincident withthat of the internal gear 106. Said arms 102 and 103 are connected byrivets 107. At a center portion of the X-shaped linkage mechanism whichconsists of the arms 102, 103 and the arms 106a, 106b the motor 101 themotor is located. A support 108 serves to support an end portion of thearm 102, which support is fixed to an inner structure of the door 110 byfasteners such as screws 109. The arm 102 is rotatably secured to saidsupport 108 through a rivet 111. Rollers 108 is rotatably secured toeach end portions of the arm 103 and the arms 1060:, 106b. Roller 112 onthe end portion of the arm 106b, as shown in FIG. 9, is located within aslider 113 fixed to the inner structure of the door 110 and is attachedto the arm 106k by a rivet 116 through a coil spring 114 and a washer115 so as to slide in the direction of an arrow B-B'. The other rollers112 are rotatably secured to the end portions of the arms 103, 106a inthe same manner as the above soas to slide in the direction of the arrowB-B'. Said sliders 117 are fixed by means such as welding to a framework120 attached through packings 119 at a lower portion of the window glassThe motor 101 provided with the reducer will be illustrated in detail inFIG. 8. A motor housing 121 is associated with said arm 102 by means ofa nut 105. 122 indicates a permanent magnet. A spring 124 and a brush125 are inserted into a brush holder 123 which is surrounded by themagnet 122. 126 indicates a lead wire for supplying electrical power tothe motor 101. An armature 127 comprising a printed circuit board isfixed to a rotatable member 128 by a ring 129, which member 128 isrotatably. supported to the shaft 104. A gear 130 is formed integral onthe rotatable member 128 and is so located as to engage with a gear 131which is rotatably supported by a shaft 132. The shaft 132 is supportedto a housing plate 121a fixed to the housing 121 and to the arm 103. Agear 133 having a small diameter is integrally formed with said gear 131engaging with a gear 134. The gear 134 is rotatably supported to a plate121a through a shaft 135. A gear I36 having a small diameter isintegrally formed with said gear 134 and is so arranged as to mesh withthe aforementioned internal gear 106. The stepped portion 106c of theinternal gear 106 is rotatably carried at the end portion of the housing121 and the axial movement thereof is limited by a stop ring 137. Thus,the means according to the present invention may be compacted bycarrying the internal gear 106 at the outer periphery of the housing121.

An operation of the means of the present invention will be explainedhereinafter. Referring now to FIG. 6, when the motor 101 is actuated,the revolution of the armature 127 is firstly reduced by the gears 130,131 and secondly reduced by the gears 133, 134. The reduced rotation istransmitted to the internal gear 106 through the gear 136, therebyrotating the internal gear 106. In the event that the motor 101 isactuated such that the internal gear 106 may be rotated in the directionof an arrow C the rollers 112'on the arms 106a, 106b and the arm 103 aremoved respectively outward within each slider 113, 117. As a result, therelative angle between the arms 102, 103 and the arms 106a, 106b isvaried so that the motor 101 may be shifted downward and the windowglass may be moved down. When a line D connecting center points 0',, 0'of each rollers 112 within the sliders 117 passes over a line Econnecting a center point 0 4 of the roller 112 on the arm l06b and acenter point 0: of rotation of the arm 102, the direction of motion ofeach roller 112 is reversed, that is, shifted inward, and the windowglass 118 can be descended down to the position shown in FIG. 10. Also,it will be understood that the window glass 118 can be moved upward tothe position shown in FIG. 6, in the case that the motor 101 isreversely actuated.

It will be apparent that a kind of pantagraph is constructed by theabove X-shaped linkage mechanism. Therefore, said lines D and E arealways in parallel relation even during movement of the line D.Referring to FIG. 11, the arms 102, 103 and the arms 106a, 106b formingthe X-shaped linkage mechanism should be turned by an angle 0 centeringabout each points 0' and 0 for opening and closing the window glass 118.Since the rotational directions of the arms of the X- shaped linkagemechanism around 0 and 0, are reverse to each other, relative angledisplacements between the arms 102, 103 and the arms 106a, 106b becomes0, 0 20, and so the rotation angle of the output gear 6 becomes 20.Thus, if the length of the arms of the present invention forming thelinkage assembly is equal to that of the prior art, the rotation angleof the motor 101 will be double. Therefore, from the principle of workload, an output torque of the motor 101 will become half when comparedwith the prior art. A motor of the small output torque and small sizemay be employed as the motor 101 for opening and closing the windowassembly.

As understood from the above description, since the means of the presentinvention uses the internal gear as an output gear of the reducer forreducing the rotation of the motor and the window assembly are openedand closed by rotatably displacing the arms forming a part of thelinkage assembly by means of the internal gear, production has theexcellent advantages that by assembling the linkage mechanism and thepower unit in one body the means may be made small in size and thenumber of indispensable parts for construction are reduced, and, thethickness of the means is remarkably reduced because of the use of aprint motor. Therefore, the means of the present invention is effectiveto be utilized in a vehicle provided with a thin door and may bemanufactured at a lower cost.

We claim:

1. Means for automatically opening and closing a window assembly of avehicle, said means comprising an X-shaped linkage assembly having afirst arm and a second arm, a power unit incorporated into said firstarm and having a motor and gear means for reducing the number ofrevolutions per minute of the output of said motor, one end portion ofsaid first arm being rotatably secured to a framework of a door andanother end portion being rotatably attached to a second and third arms,said second arm being attached at its central portion to said first armand having a roller rotatably secured to each end thereof, each of whichis operatively associated with a slider, one of said sliders being fixedto said door framework and the other being fixed to said windowframework, said third arm being attached at one end portion to saidfirst arm and having another end portion with a roller rotatablyattached thereto and operatively associated with a slider fixed to awindow framework, said first arm having an enlarged portion wherein saidpower unit is incorporated and having an internal gear cut in a centralportion of said enlarged portion, said internal gear being meshed withsaid gear means, said enlarged portion being rotatably supported arounda periphery of a housing receiving said power unit, stop ring meanspositioned where said enlarged portion is rotatably mounted to saidhousing for preventing said first arm from axial movement.

2. Means according to claim I being characterized in that the endportion of the arm which is not provided with a roller is enlarged, aninternal gear being provided at the central portion of the enlargedportion, and said internal gear being meshed with the train of gears soas'to transmit the rotation of the motor located on the inside of thedoor to the internal gear, thereby angularly displacing said arms andopening or closing the window assembly.

3. Means according to claim 2 being characterized in that a motorhousing is so arranged as to be fitted in said enlarged portion of thearm fixed to the inside of the door.

4. Means for automatically opening and closing a window assembly of avehicle, said means comprising an X-shaped linkage assembly having afirst arm and a second arm, a power unit incorporated into said firstarm and having a motor and gear means for reducing the number ofrevolutions per minute of the output of said motor;

one end portion of said first arm being rotatably secured to a frameworkof a door and another end thereof having a roller rotatably securedthereto and'operatively associated with a slider fixed to a windowframework;

said second arm having a roller rotatably secured to rotatably supportedaround a periphery of a houseach end thereof each of which isoperatively asing receiving said power unit; sociated a slider, one Ofsaid sliders bfill'lg top ring means positioned where said enlargedporfixed to said door framework and the other being fixed to said windowframework;

said first arm having an enlarged portion thereof wherein said powerunit is incorporated and having an internal gear cut in a centralportion of said enlarged portion, said internal gear being meshed withsaid gear means, said enlarged portion being 10 tion is rotatablymounted to said housing, for preventing said first arm from axialmovement. 5. Means according to claim 4 being characterized in that amotor housing being so arranged as to be loosely fitted in said firstarm.

LII

1. Means for automatically opening and closing a window assembly of avehicle, said means comprising an X-shaped linkage assembly having afirst arm and a second arm, a power unit incorporated into said firstarm and having a motor and gear means for reducing the number ofrevolutions per minute of the output of said motor, one end portion ofsaid first arm being rotatably secured to a framework of a door andanother end portion being rotatably attached to a second and third arms,said second arm being attached at its central portion to said first armand having a roller rotatably secured to each end thereof, each of whichis operatively associated with a slider, one of said sliders being fixedto said door framework and the other being fixed to said windowframework, said third arm being attached at one end portion to saidfirst arm and having another end portion with a roller rotatablyattached thereto and operatively associated with a slider fixed to awindow framework, said first arm having an enlarged portion wherein saidpower unit is incorporated and having an internal gear cut in a centralportion of said enlarged portion, said internal gear being meshed withsaid gear means, said enlarged portion being rotatably supported arounda periphery of a housing receiving said power unit, stop ring meanspositioned where said enlarged portion is rotatably mounted to saidhousing for preventing said first arm from axial movement.
 2. Meansaccording to claim 1 being characterized in that the end portion of thearm which is not provided with a roller is enlarged, an internal gearbeing provided at the central portion of the enlarged portion, and saidinternal gear being meshed with the train of gears so as to transmit therotation of the motor located on the inside of the door to the internalgear, thereby angularly displacing said arms and opening or closing thewindow assembly.
 3. Means according to claim 2 being characterized inthat a motor housing is so arranged as to be fitted in said enlargedportion of the arm fixed to the inside of the door.
 4. Means forautomatically opening and closing a window assembly of a vehicle, saidmeans comprising an X-shaped linkage assembly having a first arm and asecond arm, a power unit incorporated into said first arm and having amotor and gear means for reducing the number of revolutions per minuteof the output of said motor; one end portion of said first arm beingrotatably secured to a framework of a door and another end thereofhaving a roller rotatably secured thereto and operatively associatedwith a slider fixed to a window framework; said second arm having aroller rotatably secured to each end thereof each of which isoperatively associated with a slider, one of said sliders being fixed tosaid door framework and the other being fixed to said window framework;said first arm having an enlarged portion thereof wherein said powerunit is incorporated and having an internal gear cut in a centralportion of said enlarged portion, said internal gear being meshed withsaid gear means, said enlarged portion being rotatably supported arounda periphery of a housing receiving said power unit; stop ring meanspositioned where said enlarged portion is rotatably mounted to saidhousing, for preventing said first arm from axial movement.
 5. Meansaccording to claim 4 being characterized in that a motor housing beingso arranged as to be loosely fitted in said first arm.